Work is destroying my drawing!

[m.engdahl]

Damnit!

I guess most people have problems with combining work and drawing, but I just can not make it work. I work with constructing heavy machinery, which makes me physically exhausted every day. Even at weekends all I can do is just to try to regain my strength to be ready for monday again.
Now, I need to draw. Not only because I love it, but because I want to change careers eventually and the only way to do that is to... drawdrawdraw!
I cant see a reasonable way out of this dilemma, anyone have any ideas that do not involve quitting my job, dying from exhaustion, or taking drugs?

Martin

[Seedling]

Try drawing first thing in the morning before going to work.

One thing you've got on your side: you don't have to use your free time for exercise!

[erockalipse]

i was dealing with the same issues until i discovered 2 things that really helped me

1. energy drinks....i like the full throttle by coke, because it would actually give me at least 4-5 hours of energy, don't worry so much about the taste.

2. i read somewhere that the human body actually only needs at least 4 hours of sleep, ( everyone just says you need 8 if you want a good nights rest) so when i would get off work i would pop an energy drink and stay up until i had to goto sleep because full throttle will keep you up all night so becarefull how many you drink in one night!

hope this helps you like it did me because i now work full time as a concept artist due to the amount of work i was finally able to get done!

erockalipse2k7!

[Seedling]

Sleep deprivation can deprive you of your creativity and will to keep working towards a goal, and too much caffeine puts stress on your heart, erock.

It’s particularly unwise to recommend that someone who works with heavy machinery deprive themselves of sleep. That’s a good way to lose a limb, or worse.

[Grendel Grack]

The good thing about drawing is that it doesn't require a lot of physical energy. It also doesn't require a lot of time each day to accomplish small goals. Making a schedule to set aside a small block of drawing time each day will help. This will give you the drawing experience you need, but will also allow you to rest. Like Seedling said, try drawing in the morning. Perhaps 30 minutes will be enough to start. Once you get used to that habit, draw for 30 minutes at night as well. You don't need several hours in a row to learn. Also, bring your sketch book with you to work. Get one that is small enough to carry with you where ever you go. That way, even if you only have a few extra minutes you can dedicate that time to improving your skills. Before you know it, you will be drawing all time and getting better as well.

[kev ferrara]

Spend all your free time changing to a job that won't exhaust you.

[Hyskoa]

4 hours of sleep will keep you in an over-alert state the entire day. Keep this as a lifestyle and hello heart attack.
8 hours leaves you sleepy and well rested at the same time, It's because you finished a sleep cycle and started a new one. Over enough time, this can lead to sleep deprivation.
6 hours is actually perfect, but the problem is timing exactly 6 hours the second you fall asleep. One dreamcycle completed, energie for a full day and non aggressive alertness while you don't suffer from drowsyness.

[Seedling]

I sincerely doubt that there is one optimal amount of sleep that suits everyone. (Personally, six hours of sleep over several days leaves me a shambling wreck.)

[joelhinxman]

i had the same problem with my job but it was more of i hate the job so much that i was just pissed of and didnt want to think. i quit and now i have more problems but somehome feel a little better.

[Coen]

I'd go with Kev's advice, or if you could, start working parttime. You might need to lower your overall costs but it would really help.

[Juhani Jokinen]

I have the same problem as you do, except that I work two jobs. During the day I work as a moving man ( I move peoples stuff from apartment to another ) and in the evening/night I work as a concept artist for two major game studios in Finland. Usually I'm exhausted after running up and down stairs and carrying sofas, boxes etc and I have to find energy to draw till 1 am. In the middle of all this I should have to find time for my girlfriend and friends :D

I think I just force myself to do too much and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I don't think that I have any good advices but I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone :P

Take care!

-Juhani

[Hyskoa]

I sincerely doubt that there is one optimal amount of sleep that suits everyone. (Personally, six hours of sleep over several days leaves me a shambling wreck.)

Just divide between time you need to be active and time you need to recover energy. Weekends are meant for sleeping longer. Ofcourse you can't keep up a 6h/day everyday routine, but it is the best for performing work.

[Chiko]

If I was working with heavy machinery and wanted to be an artist, I'd quit! But only because I'm scared of big machines, and if I'd injured my drawing hand.

[m.engdahl]

Thanks for all the great advice guys, I really have some stuff to ponder here! And Chiko, the only reason I started doing what I do is to learn all the machines so that I can learn to create stuff out of metal ;)

Martin

[Jonas Heirwegh]

Just divide between time you need to be active and time you need to recover energy. Weekends are meant for sleeping longer. Ofcourse you can't keep up a 6h/day everyday routine, but it is the best for performing work.

Actually sleeping longer in the weekend is a bad habit, sound weird but it really is. You'll just disturb your sleepcycle.

Everybody has a different sleepcycle and the way to find out wich suits you best is to wake up everyday at the same time. All you need to do is to go to bed when your body feels like sleeping. After a while you'll see that your body will become tired around the same time every evening, then you can see how many hours your body needs.
You just have to remember to wake up at the same time everday, this way your body will adjust to this cycle. Most people need between 6 hours and 8hours of sleep.
When you do this, you will be the most active in the morning and in the early afternoon and all around performing best, even in weekends.


You have to listen to your body not the other way around;)

[Shadowwing]

Sounds like me. I work full-time, and it is usually too busy at work for me to do much drawing. Then I come home and I have housework to do and getting kids ready for bed...by the time I'm done it is like after 10 and then I have to do my workout routine (gotta stay in shape)...and that leaves me with very little time. I have gotten in habit of staying up till after midnight every night and getting only 5-6 hours of sleep a night. I wouldn't recommend it because it really drains you and your brain is too tired to think creatively. :dead:

I read a recent article that many researchers agrees that 7 hours is the optimum time for sleep...too little will lead to heart attack, and too much will lead to another problems.

Nevertheless, I have to learn how to squeeze some drawing time into whenever I can.

[Rabid]

I sincerely doubt that there is one optimal amount of sleep that suits everyone. (Personally, six hours of sleep over several days leaves me a shambling wreck.)

Personally guilty of at least 2 overnighters per week but I enjoy my work and doesn't seem to affect me. Average sleep time when I do get it is 6-7 1/2 hours

[ramoutar]

Hey,

So, a couple of different things...

From what I've read, there is no optimum number of hours for EVERYONE. However the range is from 6 to 10 hours per night. But you have to find your optimum number of hours from within that range.

When I was younger, I could get away with just 4 hours per night and feel just fine. But now...well now I work longer hours and my work is a bit more tiring so I need between 7 to 8 hours per night.

The best piece of advice I've seen on this thread, is to wake up a little bit earlier and draw in the morning. I'm probably going to try that this week...

Good luck.